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Comment by mulmen | Hacker News Reader

So is this the LS of electric motors?

Maybe more like, electric motors are the LS of motive power just as soon as they're common enough? If it's not a diabolically weird motor, there will be a motor controller to deal with it. Tesla's sales volume and active opposition to repair might beat GM to the punch with salvage parts alone if GM doesn't get something on the market quick:

https://www.evwest.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=...

Tough to argue with a 400kW motor + transmission that could fit without epic metal work in the back of a Smart, the front of a classic Mini, with a bit more work in place of the differential and gas tank to make a rear engine Miata. Fitting batteries becomes the main challenge, but battery placement is more flexible than fitting an LS, transmission, fuel, intake, exhaust, etc.

Fitting batteries becomes the main challenge, but battery placement is more flexible than fitting an LS, transmission, fuel, intake, exhaust, etc

The difference is that a fuel tank makes a far smaller and lighter (even when filled) part of a vehicle than the batteries in an EV, if you want any decent range.

There's a lot of mass in the ICE and transmission to be exchanged for battery weight, assuming the EV conversion is a direct-drive transaxle.

Sorry, but what's an LS in this context?

EDIT: I guess it is this standard GM V8 engine.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_LS-based_small-...

Yes, sorry, that may need more explanation. In some circles "put an LS in it" is a meme bordering on cliche. GM has historically been willing to sell parts to anyone for any purpose, kind of the opposite of what Tesla is doing. The classic US automakers (especially GM) have a reputation of being friendly to the shadetree mechanic.

So for gearheads ICE powertrains are an easy swap with lots of aftermarket and manufacturer support. Electric drivetrains are more exotic and have many question marks. As we get more mass market electric vehicles from the likes of GM electric swaps (and maintenance!) become much more approachable.

I'm looking forward to seeing electric motors on a site like this: https://www.chevrolet.com/performance-parts/crate-engines

probably, if GM sticks it in everything.

mass adoption of the same series' of motor over an entire line-up will definitely increase the amount of parts that are available for folks to tinker with outside the GM models -- one of the big factors that lead to the success of the LS in the car-hobbyist sector was that one could find one at the nearest junkyard.

but, really, that trend started earlier with the 4" bore small block motors from 1962 onwards; the same family of engine the LS is from, anyway. They were produced forever, put in everything, and could be had by any hobbyist for very cheap from the closest junkyard.

also was keeping with a dated technology (pushrods) to keep the motor small and relatively simple (and arguably more reliable).

not sure what the analogue would be in electric motors.

That would be the 3-phase induction motor. Extremely simple, reliable, doesn't need any exotic or expensive materials.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induction_motor

Electric motors are much more reliable than any combustion engine. The only thing that really wears out are the bearings and those are easily replaced. So the electric analogue of the LS will probably be _any_ electric motor.

This really misses the point of why the LS and previous variants were and are so popular with gearheads.

GM is more than willing to sell parts to anyone and they don't really care what you plan on doing with them. Fix your car and keep it stock, modify it with more power, put a GM motor in a Toyota, they don't care.

It's a very hacker friendly mentality actually.

Tesla is actively trying to prevent people from even maintaining their own cars, forget about trying to put a Tesla drivetrain in a 1990 Corolla or something.

Why use Tesla components? There are now a wide range of components available for electric conversions.

And if you want to use Tesla bits, they are readily available at auto wreckers. And most have been thoroughly reverse-engineered by now.

Some of us are dreaming about the day when we can order a robust EV drivetrain and slap it in whatever we have on hand, without having to disassemble a wreck and retrofit aftermarket control boards. Just like GM crate motors. I really want to see a website like the following, but with Ultium instead of LS:

https://www.chevrolet.com/performance-parts/connect-cruise-p...

That's the thing, you don't need to use a Tesla drivetrain, there are plenty of electric motors out there to do with as you please.

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